


the strength of love (or death)

by yahootoldyou



Series: island gods [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dark Louis, Fluff and Angst, Innocent Harry, M/M, One Shot, god AU, larry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:30:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6659986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yahootoldyou/pseuds/yahootoldyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the one where Louis is the evil god of death and Harry is his counterpart, the god of love and they're in love but they're too stubborn to admit it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the strength of love (or death)

**Author's Note:**

> Based on once on this island's gods.  
> All rights go to their rightful owner.

  


Harry walks into the palace of the gods, content with his work of the day. Today he caused a peasant boy and a rich girl to fall in love. It was truly beautiful but Harry knew that their love would not last. Society was too cruel and eventually Louis would end all of their mortal lives anyway. Speaking of Louis, Harry was quite cross with him. Earlier that week Louis killed a peasant man that Harry needed alive because Liam, the god of water, requested it.  
"Harry, Liam is the one that cast the flood, it is his right. You cannot interfere." Louis scolded Harry for an hour over on how, even as the god of love, he didn't hold the power to cheat another god of their kill. Harry had hung around Niall, father of the earth, for the remainder of the week. Harry seems to be the first god done with their duties today so he walks into his chambers and changes into a bathrobe and slippers, both a radiant, fluffy white. He brushes his hair and curses as he pulls out a clump. Waist long tresses fall to the floor and Harry huffs in frustration. He lays down on his bed with his watch glass and watches his peasant boy wander close to the city wall to meet his upperclass girl. Harry smiles before he notices something or rather someone, lurking in the shadows. Louis lurks silently behind the boy waiting for the correct time to strike. Harry gasps in horror before launching off of his bed and materializing next to Louis. Louis startles, looking up at Harry who is still currently in his bathrobe and slippers.   
"Hello, Darling." Louis smirks.  
"Hello, Louis."  
"Listen if this is some attempt at being sexy you should go back to the palace and wait for me there, i have one last kill to follow through on and then I'm all yours" Louis stays focused on Zayn, the young peasant boy who is so in love with sweet Perrie. Harry growls low in his throat causing Louis to spin and look at him.  
"Louis. This is the second time this week you will have thwarted my plans if you go through with this." Louis finally catches on and sighs heavily. He smirks up at Harry and reaches for his curls yanking them tight and pulling Harry's head close to his own.  
"That is my job, my sweet. You and I are not partners at work, we are rivals you know this." Louis mocks Harry and the skies grow dark with Harry's intent.   
"Louis, you will leave this boy alone. I have plans for him and you will not stop me." Harry places his hand on Louis' shoulder and yanks him backwards. He collapses on the ground in the grand hall of the palace. Louis grunts and hisses as he stands to attention glaring at Harry. His blood stained teeth glint dangerously and he smells of cigars and he's so damn sexy but Harry holds his own.   
"You fool!" Louis launches at Harry, claws out and teeth snapping. Harry swiftly avoids him and jumps onto his back. He begins to whisper words of kindness and love into Louis' ear. Louis deflates and Harry hops down and rubs his back until Louis returns from his grey area. The area where he allows himself to feel about Harry the way he actually does, without so many walls. Louis glares at Harry and Harry shrugs.  
"I'm sorry, Louis. I have plans for Zayn. You mustn't interfere." Louis lets out a low growl as he looks up at his lover.  
"Young Harold, you have once again cheated me of my kill. I believe a wager should be made to make this even."  
"We are even. You killed a man I wanted alive earlier this week, I saved a boy you wanted dead today." Louis' ever present smirk grows dark as he leans in and whispers seductively into his lover's ear.   
"Or, you and I could make a bet. You love our bets, baby, I know you do." Harry shivers and he instinctively leans into Louis.   
"What do you have in mind?" Harry falls into Louis' hands, just like he always does. Louis cackles and twists Harry around to face him.  
"How about, we go the classic route; is love stronger than death?" Harry smiles and strokes Louis' cheek.   
"Love always wins Louis." Harry smirks as he sees resentment grow in his lover's eyes.  
"Then what do you have to lose?" Harry is torn because he could feel when he bonded Zayn and Perrie that they're not as in love as they could be. He decides to risk it, besides Louis pretty much loves Harry, Harry thinks, so whatever it is he wants it can't be too bad. Louis has a sly smile on his face as he laughs and thinks for a moment about what it is he wants.   
"How about... If Perrie leaves Zayn to marry in her own class you and I will finally get married." Louis is twirling Harry's curls and humming quietly. Harry is shocked. His mouth is open wide and when he collects himself enough he realizes Louis is still smirking like he's gotten away with murder. Which, Harry knows he has, millions of times over.   
"What?"  
"You heard me, Hazza. I want to marry you." Louis continues stroking his hair. Harry has lost his ability to speak apparently and all he can do is think: i can't.  
"Louis, I love you. You know I love you. But I don't know if you love me. You don't allow yourself to at least." Louis almost looks sad and Harry knows on some level Louis does love him. Louis looks away staring off into the distance. They haven't slept with other people throughout their entire relationship which is very odd for gods. Even Niall and Liam, who have been together longer and can admit they're in love sleep with mortals when it pleases them. That idea has never appealed to either Louis or Harry. Niall thinks and likes to tell Harry every time they are together alone, that Harry and Louis are soulmates. Harry wants to believe him. He wants to believe he and Louis are in love and end game but he just can't believe it. He's the god of love, no one knows love more than him. Yet, not even he can see if Louis is in love with him. Louis looks at Harry once again and his sadness is concealed, his eyes darker than ever.  
"Does it matter if I love you? You are mine, Harry. You have been since the beginning of time, even if you didn't realize it then. You are, and you always have been, utterly and completely, mine." Louis laughs in Harry's face and Harry feels the hurt pool in his abdomen.   
"It matters to me, Louis. However, since you probably won't win anyway I'll accept your bet. If I win though, you and I, whatever this is, is over until you man up enough to tell me how you feel." Harry turns and walks back into his room, slamming the door behind him and collapsing on his bed. The tears fall freely but Harry makes no noise, he will not let Louis hear his pain. 

\--

Louis stands shocked in the grand hall looking at Harry's now locked door. He knows that he's fucked when it comes to Harry but he can't seem to stop himself. He does... Feel for the boy. He feels for Harry more than any other creature to ever exist. He can feel Harry's pain through the door and wants to go to him. He knows that he loves Harry, on some level. He can't stand thinking of Harry with someone else and he can't stand seeing Harry in pain. Louis doesn't know what to do or how to react because he's so in love it's drowning him. He's the god of death and he can't even man up enough to tell the god of love that he's in love with him, madly in love with him, and he always has been. Louis walks into his bedroom and stares into his mirror. His blood stained teeth reflect back at him as he pulls his lips into his classic killer smirk. He cringes however and takes his top hat off messing with his fringe in the mirror. He changes out of his suit and puts jeans and a black t-shirt on before waltzing out the door of his room and into Harry's.   
"Love, listen, you know I feel-" Harry is no longer in his room. This sends Louis off an edge, he's normally easily angered and this is no different. He lets out an inhuman growl and rips one of Harry's paintings down the middle with his claws. The watch glass rests on the end of Harry's bed and once Louis sees it there is no return. Louis grabs it and hisses, "show me Harry."  
When Harry finally shows up in the glass he's sitting at a bar with a human man, laughing. Louis feels the anger swallowing him and he materializes outside the bar in human form. His teeth, now pearly white sharpened dangerously more so than a normal humans. The door swings open, a drunken man stumbling out and Louis walks through it before it closes, looking around for his paramour. Once he sees Harry, his anger is fueled even more. 

\--

Harry knows he shouldn't of done this, he was just so hurt that Louis couldn't man up and love him properly. So, when he arrived at the bar in the mortal world, he hoped he wasn't acting too rashly. He sits at the bar and orders a drink. The bar tender winks at him and Harry blushes, not used to the attention. In human form Harry's hair is shorter, not quite reaching his chest but just longer than his shoulders. He's got a floral print shirt on and tight white skinny jeans. He considers himself rather hot. Harry tenses as someone presses up behind him, running their fingers through his hair. A guy twice his size sits next to him and smiles.  
"Hello, gorgeous." Harry giggles and blushes, looking up at the man from under his lashes. They sit there for a couple minutes, Harry laughing whenever the man says anything remotely funny. The man's name is Daniel and Harry knows he isn't Louis but he'll do for now. When Daniel extends a hand to Harry asking him to dance, Harry says yes, hopeful this Daniel can make him forget Louis for a little while.  
Harry grinds shamelessly, knowing that if Louis ever found out the man would probably never see another day. He can't find himself to care though and continues moaning when Daniel sinks his teeth into Harry's neck, leaving a beautiful bruise. Harry hopes he won't notice when it disappears later. He also hopes Daniel won't see the full on bite marks left by Louis' sharpened teeth on his neck. Harry can feel when Daniel is about to ask him to go home with him and is almost eager to say yes, to exact revenge on Louis somehow, when he feels Daniel disappear from behind him. He looks around, knowing the mortal couldn't have gone far when he hears screams coming from the back alley. He runs out the back door and sees a small, lithe figure pinning Daniel to the wall. The figure turns to look at him and Harry should've known who it was before even seeing him. Lou's human form is beautiful. He's short, with feathery Carmel fringe and bright blue eyes. Harry also realizes, too late that he's got a mouth full of sharpened teeth as Louis rips Daniel's throat out leaving him dead on the ground. Louis has a black t-shirt on and a litter of tattoos that match human Harry's ironically.  
"Louis! What the fuck?!" Louis turns and glares menacingly at Harry.  
"I ask you to marry me and you become a slut? What the fuck, Harry?!" Louis looks slightly hysterical and Harry does feel sorry but Louis didn't have to kill Daniel.  
"You killed him, Louis! He did nothing wrong!" Louis began advancing towards him and Harry felt like prey.   
"He touched you, Harry and I fucking will not stand for that." Harry gasps as Louis closes pin on him against the cement wall of the club. Louis leans into Harry's neck and sniffs him growling when he sees the slight bruise still lingering there. A vicious snarl appears on his face and he strikes, sinking his teeth into Harry's neck. Unlike all the times they had done this before Harry felt nothing but pain and Louis felt nothing but feral lust and anger.   
"Louis, stop, please..." Harry begs him and Louis' eyes shoot open realizing he'd been killing Harry in his human form. Harry falls to the ground, too weak to stand and hold his own. Louis gasps in horror; how could he have done this?! He picks Harry up and transports them back to the palace. Harry immediately forms back into his god form. His hair grows back to his waist and pink and white flowers sprout from nowhere to form his flower crown. Harry's breathing normalizes and so does Louis' who can't believe he did this. Harry opens his eyes and looks at Louis anxiously.  
"You almost killed me, Louis." He chokes out finally after five minutes. Louis ducks his head in shame and when he raises it there are tears there. Harry is in shock, he's never seen Louis cry before, especially not for him. Harry reaches up and swipes away at one that had fallen and Louis just stands there looking at him.  
"I'm so sorry, Harry." Louis begins to walk to the door when he smashes into a wall of pink dust. His skin burns slightly and he turns around to look at Harry, who is smiling. Harry pats the bed next to him and Louis goes and sits.  
"Louis, do you love me?" Louis stops breathing. He knows the answer, Harry knows the answer and he still doesn't know how to say it. He stutters and runs from the room. Harry smiles slightly, knowing he has made actual progress on Louis.

\--

Louis slams the door to his room and collapses onto his bed hyperventilating. Harry always shocks him. 25 minutes ago Louis had almost killed Harry and now Harry was coaxing an 'I love you' out of Louis. Louis knows that if he just opens up he can have what he wants. He can marry Harry and love him for eternity. He can't though, he's death and death cannot feel love. Yet he does. He feels so much love for Harry that it shouldn't be possible. When Harry became a god Louis had already lived for a millennia and hunted humans without a care. He still cared little for humans but he cared about Harry a lot. Enough to want no one else for the rest of history.   
Louis looks to his window, where the night is only ever seen and wishes for the first time that he could see Harry's flower garden in full bloom from his window like Niall and Liam can. Niall keeps them alive year round for Harry and he's always scoffed at them before but now he longs for everything Harry will let him have, let him see, let him feel. He knows that he must make Harry submit and stop his silly ideas of love being stronger than death. Death is finality, end of the line, love is nothing after that. Louis is final, Harry is idealism.  
Louis gets up carefully putting on his godly attire before going out to find Zayn and Perrie. Love will always lose if Louis has anything to do with it, he's tired of feeling weak. He doesn't want to blame Harry but he does because if Harry didn't exist then this wouldn't be happening to him. If Harry hadn't become a god things would've stayed the same. Now, Harry must submit himself to Louis, admit himself to be inferior, and take his rightful place by Louis' side through marriage. Louis knows Harry will struggle but Louis loves it. He loves watching him squirm and breathe heavily as sweat starts to bead around the nape of his neck. Louis could get hard thinking about restraining Harry.

\--

Louis smirks as Perrie emerges from the shadows to smile at him.  
"Hello, Perrie." Louis smirks devilishly, looking upon his servant with pride.  
"I'm assuming he took the bait?" Perrie asks Louis and walks toward him, getting on her knees.  
"Of course he did, just as I knew he would. He's obsessed with making peasants and aristocracy get along." Louis cackles, feeling more at home in his sanctuary than the palace. There's so much comfort here in its fear and deathly aura. Perrie smiles at him and stalks forward on her knees.  
"I've done well then, master? Enough for a... Prize?" Louis smirks and leans into her face, his blood breath fanning her face accordingly. She swoons and tries to lean in further but Louis moves back, not interested in anything the female can offer him other than Harry's submission.  
"You offer me nothing but him, do not forget your place." Perrie bows her head and nods, knowing Louis holds no interest in her other than tricking Harry. She also knows that in the sanctuary of the god of death the god of love cannot hear or see anything that's said, which is how Louis is tricking Harry.  
"Master all I wish, is that when I die, you allow me to continue to be one of your servants, instead of passing into the underworld." Louis ponders this for a second, the girl is giving him everything he wants and is wicked enough he supposes.  
"When you die, you will have your wish fulfilled. Given, that our plan succeeds and Harry is married to me of course." Perrie nods.  
"Of course, I aim to serve you." Louis smirks and strokes her hair, proud of the way she serves so diligently. He dismisses her and leans back in his chair, content with the way things are going.

\--

"Niall, I think he's up to something." Harry says while tending to his garden with his friends. He plucks up a daisy and places a daffodil bulb in its place. Niall waves his hand and the daffodil grows and blooms, sitting amongst the other flowers proudly. Harry smiles brushing off his knees and patting Niall on the back.  
"Thanks, Ni. The daisies were starting to bother me." Niall smiles and wraps an arm around Harry leading him to the bench that over looks the island below their palace in the clouds.   
"What we're you saying about Louis, Harry?" Harry sighs and looks out at the village, four large temples sticking higher than the rest of the village.  
"Louis disappeared yesterday after almost admitting he loves me and he hasn't been back since." Niall nods looking out at the sanctuary of the god of death and feeling dread pool in his abdomen. He too thinks Louis is deceiving Harry but he can't get a grasp on how, he only knows it isn't good.  
"Let me look into it with Liam. I have this awful feeling that you're right and I don't like it." This makes Harry feel worse, had he angered Louis enough the other night for Louis to think Harry not good enough any longer? Niall gets up, looking at Harry with some weird sense of pity and strokes his hair.   
"Don't worry, Haz, we'll figure it out. We always do." Harry stands and hugs his best friend, not knowing what he would do without Niall. Liam is too bland and bossy and Louis is... Louis drives Harry up a fucking wall. Harry looks out at the blackest sanctuary on the island, the one always surrounded by night and darkness and knows that Louis is planning something. Taking his watch glass from his pocket picturing Zayn. Zayn is laying in the daffodil meadow and humming a song. Harry smiles and feels his heart swell as he sees Perrie enter the meadow carrying a basket full of beef stew and basket with a flask of tea and cups. Harry smiles and feels hope that their relationship may prosper correctly. Harry transports to a tree to look on the beautiful display of love. He adds a splash of romance to the environment, daffodils previously wilted standing proudly, the light bask worthy, warm in the face of the sunset and love. So much love to the area. He feels a shift and startles, something dark is rejecting his powers in the meadow. He searches and finds Louis standing at its edge, his face in an awful snarl. Harry stares at him and he realizes that Louis isn't looking at him but at Perrie, who is laughing and embracing the moment with Zayn. Harry doesn't even know if Louis knows he's here. He decides to make his presence known to his love and rustles the meadow. Louis looks up sharply, leveling Harry with a look so dangerous even Harry wants to step back and leave him alone but Harry refuses to submit to Louis' intimidation. Harry levels a look equally as frightening and sees surprise flicker across Louis' face.   
"Home. Now." Louis mouths to him and Harry complies arriving next to his garden where he had previously sat with Niall. He watches as his flowers wilt a tad and turns to see Louis who's looking at the wilting flowers with a touch of sadness.   
"Louis. Why were you in the meadow?" Louis turns his head towards Harry and let's out a hiss.   
"Why were you? Interfering again? Cheating? Trying once again to prove to me that you feel nothing for me?!" Louis is vicious, taking no pity on his love, "or were you hoping that Zayn would sleep with you instead of Perrie, since you've acquired such an affinity for mortal males." Harry's got tears in his eyes and a hole in his heart.   
"You are heartless. I don't know what I ever saw in you but you can count on this, I will never marry you. You don't deserve my love anymore." Louis blanks, not believing his ears. He feels anger and sadness swell in his dead heart.   
"A bet is a bet and if I win you have no choice but to marry me!" It wasn't the right thing to say but he couldn't take it back now. Harry stood up straight and turned on Louis, eyes blazing with hatred.   
"The only way death could ever beat love is if you cheat! Death is final, love is everlasting and as long as there is love that is true I will always be stronger than you!" Louis freezes, hearing similar thoughts to his own spoken through Harry, just with a different bias. Louis bristles and spins around glaring at Harry.  
"You're weak, you're nothing. I have lived lifetimes longer than you, you foolish child! You know nothing of how the world or I work so shut the fuck up and go cause some mortal fuck ups to fall in love." Harry feels like he's been stabbed. Three thousand years together clearly has meant nothing to louis if he can just say these things.   
"Love has many powers, if the love is true-" Harry sings softly to himself, looking at the grass instead of Louis.  
"How can that be true, you're the god of love and yet nobody has ever loved you." Louis feels physically when that rips through Harry. He feels the pain and the heartache and becomes concerned as Harry hits the ground hard, sky turning pitch black, no moon or stars to let the light shine through.   
"Harry?! Harry, hazza, please! Please dear gods wake up!" Louis can hear below as the peasants start to go crazy, not understanding what had happened. Niall and Liam storm out into the yard, seeing Harry lying there.  
"What did you do!?" Niall shrieks as he rushes to Harry's side placing his hand over Harry's heart.  
"His heart! It's broken! You broke the god of love’s fucking heart you piece of shit! I'll kill you!" Niall lunges toward Louis claws out, ready to kill him. Louis just stands there, waiting, he knows he very well deserves it.   
"ENOUGH!" Liam roars, "we have to help him, not fight right now. It's the only way he'll survive." Niall and Liam pick him up to bring him inside. Louis goes to help, to do anything besides just stand there as Harry dies but Niall stops him.  
"Haven't you done enough, Lou?" Niall spits Harry's nickname for him out with venom and Louis cringes. Everything had been going according to plan and Louis had fucked it all up. He was so close to having everything he'd ever wanted and he destroyed it all by hurting his boy, his Haz.   
Niall and Liam carry him into his room and search for his charm. Each god receives a charm when they become gods, the charm is used when the god is too weak to fulfill their job. Harry's is a white round crystal about the size of Louis' fist and it's gorgeous. Louis' is a black long and skinny crystal that sits in a vault in his room, protected by a spell of death to whoever enters without asking. (He's charmed it to let Harry and Liam in though in case he's ever in trouble.) Harry is barely breathing as they carry him out to his garden and transport to his sanctuary. Niall and Liam try to carry him through but are stopped by an emerging wall of pink dust. Niall and Liam aren't welcome into the god of love's sanctuary and Louis is beyond shocked. Liam turns to Louis and gestures to the wall.  
"Oh no, mate. If Niall can't get in, there's no way I can." Louis backs up a few steps looking around for someone to back him up but alas no one is there. Harry would of backed him up and Louis feels like an idiot for letting this happen. The funny thing is, he was tired of feeling weak, but he's never felt weaker than right now, looking at Harry. Niall has a contemplative look on his face and Louis is worried, Niall thinking is never good.  
“No, Louis, I think he's right. Harry is particular but he wouldn't purposely ban his friends from his sanctuary. It's something else." Liam perks up at that, looking at his friends with a smile smile.  
"Harry is the god of love. So in order to pass through wouldn't it make sense that you have to be in love?" Louis and Niall look at him with wide eyes before looking at each other. Liam and Niall shift awkwardly back and forth, neither wanting to admit that they couldn't get through because they aren't in love anymore. Louis pities them but a cough draws his attention back to the task at hand.   
"None of us are in love!" Louis announces, desperate that they don't make him do this.   
"Yes, Louis. You are in love." Liam has such pure honesty in his eyes that it makes Louis panic.  
"I-I can't! I'm the god of death! I don't feel love!" Niall huffs, annoyed that Louis won't man up and help Harry out. He thrusts Harry's body into Louis' arms and looks him dead in the eyes.  
"Grow up, Louis! Harry is dying! And it's your fault! Pull your shit together and save him!" Niall is screaming and Louis clutches Harry to him tighter. Niall is right, Harry is more important to Louis than anything. Louis takes a deep breath before stepping forward. He passes through with no problem and looks around him. The trees are strung with white twinkle lights and in the middle of the sanctuary is a ball of white energy. It burns Louis' eyes when he sees it but he steps forward anyway realizing that the energy is Harry's life force. He reaches out for it and freezes when he's transported through what must be Harry's memories, they're so vivid and bright.

-

He first sees a small boy, curly hair framing his face and big green eyes. The boy is looking at his parents who are fighting inside their hut. Louis feels Harry's heart stutter and the child's longing to reach out and fix it, but the child cannot and Louis cannot and he watches the father leave. Louis knows he never came back.  
Next he sees what must be a small village school and the same boy, slightly older playing on the makeshift seesaw. Another boy plays recklessly and Harry watches anxiously.  
"Julian! Julian, be careful!" Harry winces as Julian falls flat on his face.  
"Harry! Play a little bit! You're only young once!" Julian starts running off again and Harry sighs, content sitting there admiring the wild flowers in the meadow. Harry jumps off the seesaw walks to a wilted one and sighs sadly.  
"All things die at some point kid, it's best not to get upset over it." Harry turns and sees..Louis? Present Louis gasps as younger Harry looks at younger Louis in confusion.   
"Who are you?" Harry asks as he reaches out and touches younger Louis' coat, admiring the skulls and various items hanging from it.   
"Why I'm the god of death, child! You weren't supposed to see me today but someday you will again." Harry watches as Louis disappears from the meadow reaching out to try and catch him.  
"Wait, come back!"  
Next Louis sees Harry standing in the middle of a circle of kids. The kids are chanting and yelling, taunting the boy with his fist raised to Harry's face to beat the shit out of him. Louis holds his breath and realizes that they're calling him a "deatheater" which is what Louis calls his immortal minions. Harry shouts, not wanting them to continue hurting him.   
"Stop, please! I don't like Louis I don't like Louis!" Louis' heart hurts when he realized that Harry must have defended him to all of these kids.  
"This is what you get for being a freak and liking the god of death!" The boy in the center with Harry kicks him in the nose, knocking him unconscious.  
He fast forwards a couple decades, past Harry's death, and to the place where Harry became a god. The lead god stands before Liam, Niall, and Louis and introduces their fourth and final island god, Harry, the god of love.   
"For you, young Harry, who showed enough love and compassion to stand up for death himself, even in the face of your peers. You have earned your title. Do you accept?" Harry looks up at younger Louis and very clearly says "I do." Louis remembers feeling like he knew the boy at that moment but had no recollection of when he'd met him before. He knows now, Louis supposes.   
Louis sees memory after memory after memory and when they end he sees he's holding the ball of energy. Louis lowers the ball into Harry's chest. Harry's eyes shoot open and Louis can feel his heart restart.  
"Louis?" Harry croaks out and Louis bursts into tears.   
"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so sorry Harry." And Harry strokes Louis' hair, trying to calm him down.  
"What happened?" Louis sinks, realizing that Harry didn't remember what Louis said to break his heart.   
"I said something I didn't mean and... And I broke your heart." Harry's breath catches and he looks at Louis in shock.   
"What did you say?" Harry's breathing is intensifying and Louis can't almost lose him again.  
"It doesn't matter. It was horrible and I never meant it and I was a selfish ass. I'm so sorry."  
Harry calms down a little and his breathing stabilizes.   
"Louis... I love you. I love you and I'm not ashamed. Why can't you just love me? Why must you play games?!" Harry stands gingerly, carefully hauling himself up. He winces as Louis touches him and leaves a burn on his skin.  
"L-Louis don't. Please don't touch me." Louis is startled.   
"I've never burnt you before? What happened?" And Harry lowers his head in shame.  
"I wasn't afraid of you hurting me before." Louis' jaw hits the floor and Harry sheds tears that fall off of his face and on the floor of the sanctuary, shimmering white. Even Harry's tears were lovely.   
"Harry I-I never meant to hurt you! I love you and I wouldn't have done this purposely! You have to know that!" Louis is begging like a peasant, begging for Harry not to leave him.  
"That's why I'm scared! You put your fear and your pride above me and my safety! I don't know if you love me and I can't do this anymore!" Harry walks to the door before turning back to look at Louis, "I love you, Louis. I love you enough to know that love is stronger than death. I love you enough to cross the earth and sail the seas and even last long after death. It's why I'm here. But I can't do this. Three thousand years and you have never tried to be more for me. I've given you everything I have. There's nothing left of me that isn't yours but you are not mine. So we're done." Harry walks out and into Niall's awaiting arms past the pink wall of dust. Niall hums, hugging Harry and whispering "im sorry" over and over into the boys hair. Niall looks at Louis sadly and Liam looks at Louis like he's crazy. Niall takes Harry and transports out of the clearing, probably back to the palace. Louis has never felt more broken.  
"Harry please, I love you." Louis says to no one in particular, falling to his knees. Liam just shakes his head sadly.

\--

Harry sits alone in his room, wanting privacy from everyone and everything. Eventually, he will have to go out and do his daily duties but for now he's trying to remember what it's like to be human. Human Harry was peculiar because unlike the other children he was never afraid of death. Louis' name was a curse to all the people in Harry's village but Harry had met Louis in the school's meadow that one day and hadn't feared him for the rest of his life. Louis was gorgeous, to die at the hands of someone who looked like that would be, well, heavenly. Harry's best friend Julian had married long ago to a woman named Euralie and she was a sweet girl. Harry was happy to see that their love prospered. Julian never understood why Harry liked Louis so much but Harry was fascinated with the way Louis' eyes glinted dangerously and how his smile was menacing but he was still so cute. Stricken from his memories as someone knocks on the door, Harry goes to answer it. Outside is a ball of dark energy, one that must belong to Louis. Harry is shocked, Louis had never made an effort like this before. Reaching his hand out to it he is in immense pain, transported back to when Louis was human.

\--

Little Louis walks down the road of a small city, different than the village Harry grew up in. He sees Louis dodging throughout the city, stealing spare change from the pockets of merchants. Eventually, Louis stops in front of a vendor and stretches his hand out begging. The vendor kicks Louis away, sending the small boy spiraling to the ground. Little Louis screams and clutches his side, baring his teeth and looking at the vendor. Louis begins screaming and crying as Stan, another poor boy in the city, sneaks into the vendor’s booth and steals some food for Louis and himself. When Louis sees Stan sneak back to his hiding spot Louis stands, brushing himself off and kicking the vendor in the shins before running off. He runs to the alley he and Stan are meeting in and sighs in relief when he sees him sitting there.  
“Here, Lou. I'm giving you 75% of the profit today so that you can actually eat instead of just feeding your sisters.” Louis startles at Stan’s words.  
“How do you know about them?” Stan smiles and wraps an arm around Louis, squeezing him gently.  
“Don’t worry about it, bro. I’ll help you out.”  
Harry smiles at the fact that Louis once loved people and experienced kindness, it means a lot to him. Time fast forwards a couple years and Louis is a teenager, still trying to keep his sisters alive. Louis is more advanced in his thievery, breaking into huts and stealing the most expensive jewelry he can find. Louis, Harry can sense, knows what he's doing is wrong but is just trying to do right by his sisters. Harry watches as Louis works his way into a home that belongs to the local doctor, stealing pills and jewelry and such that he can pawn off easily for good cash. Harry sees the door start to open and he calls out to Louis, hoping to get him to become aware of his situation. Louis’ head whips up as the doctor returns, finding him with a loot of his belongings in his arms. Louis takes off, dodging the man’s bony arms with skilled agility, earned from years of avoiding angry merchants and street vendors. Younger Louis rushes outside only to find that it has started raining heavily. He runs for the coverage of the trees looking down at the ground, not realizing he's entered the dirt road leading back into the city. Harry hears a screech as a wealthy mans wagon veers of the road, the horses having been spooked by Louis’ carelessness. Louis witnesses the wagon crash into a rock and the driver being catapulted across the road, not moving. Louis runs over to the man, checking his pulse, horrified that he no longer has a pulse. Quickly he races over to the wagon and finds four dead passengers, three children and a young wealthy woman, more than likely headed home to wealthy husband. A wealthy husband that would have Louis murdered like the filthy street peasant he is and leave his sisters alone and helpless. Louis panics, afraid for his sisters’ wellbeing and does the only thing he can think of. He robs the wagon and takes off towards home, leaving the unfortunate wreckage behind him, tears falling down freely, blending with the wind.  
It fast forwards to a twenty year old Louis, sitting on the edge of a bridge, tears brimming in his eyes. He had just found his sisters brutally murdered in their home and was considering taking his own life, falling off into the canal below ending his life. Just as he’s about to, however, he remembers that the scum who killed his sisters would get away with it if he wasn’t around to ensure justice. With that. Harry witnesses the first glimpses of the Louis he knows now breaking through. Louis smirks in the darkness, vowing to get revenge on the entire city if he has to  
Harry witnesses Louis kill hundreds of people over the course of four years, crying at the loss of Louis’ heart the further he slips into his vengefulness. Harry’s heart aches and all he wants is for Louis to look and see him, speak to him, maybe he can change all of this. He knows he can’t however, and watches as Louis is cornered by police officers as the edge of a cliff. Louis smiles at the men before leaping into the waters below, waking up to the same sort of ceremony Harry received, the lead god standing before Liam and Louis welcoming him to the island, telling him he’s the new god of death. Louis smirks at him, and bows before straightening out his coat, excited at the opportunity to continue his hunt for his sisters’ murderer or murderers. 

—

When Harry finishes the cloud of black energy returns to where it came from and Harry reaches up to his face, feeling the tears he had shed during Louis’ story. Louis stands in the doorway, silently begging Harry with his eyes, pleading with him to understand what even Louis cannot understand. Harry pats the bed next to him, just realizing he must of sat during the memories, wondering how he didn't notice or had any control over it. Louis sits next to him and Harry places a gentle hand on his thigh, rubbing his thumb into the flesh there. Louis presses into Harry, breathing in his scent, calming himself down. Louis hadn't felt love for anyone since the day he had discovered the bodies of sisters. Louis felt as though his heart was restarting in his chest, completely overcoming the stone that had encased it all these years, and for once he knew he had to do the right thing, not because he cared for insignificant mortal lives, but because he couldn’t trick Harry into loving him, he had to earn it. Louis knew this to be true but he couldn’t give up on his game yet, he had to win, Harry had to submit, because even if Louis is in love with him, and Louis is, death will always be stronger than love, and he has to prove it to him. 

_

Louis watches as Perrie, standing above a Zayn who has fallen to his knees in agony, flaunts her large engagement ring at him, bragging about the wealth and the name recognition she's about to acquire.  
“Perrie, please! We’ll race away in a car! As silver as the moon! We will live beside the sea… We’ll have children, a garden, and a tree…” Zayn has tears tracking down his face and Louis waits for his chance to offer him the ultimatum which will decide who the winner is. He can feel Harry watching from the sidelines, knowing he can’t interfere, Louis can feel Harry’s heart aching for Zayn. Louis feels jealousy rise in his chest but squashes it, knowing that allowing his emotions to take control will ruin this for him.  
“Oh Zayn, silly Zayn, you should have known we could never marry.” Louis feels the shattering of Zayn’s heart and relishes in it, knowing he has it in the bag and he thanks the stars because finally he will have everything he wants. He watches Zayn collapse on the ground, knees giving out, only using his forearms to hold himself up as he directs his tear stained face towards the sky.  
“Oh gods, oh gods, are you there? Are you there?” Louis cackles, emerging from the shadows, immediately blacking out the sun. He sees Harry jump down from his perch, light cracking through the blackness to illuminate him in pure light. If christianity was canon in their little universe, Louis would’ve thought he was an angel. Louis stalks toward his prey and engages him, taunting him to the lure of the dark, of death. Harry remains at the edge, lowly reminding Zayn of his love, of what it means, what it stands for.  
“You loved her… and she betrayed you! Why should you die for her now? Kill her, Zayn, kill the love you feel for her, prove that death is stronger than love, and you can have your old life again, just as if you had never loved at all.” Zayn gasps taking the knife Louis materializes for him and stands, looking toward Perrie who has frozen at the edge of their chosen meadow. He begins to walk toward her and Louis rejoices, laughing maniacally and he feels Harry’s panic, his heart rate increases.  
“Zayn, no! You're better than this!” Harry calls out starting toward Zayn but Louis stops him, lowering both of them to the ground, laughing the whole time as Zayn drives the knife through Perrie and then collapses, vindicated but alone. Harry stays on the ground, staring up at the sky and allows a few tears to slide down his cheeks.  
“They deserved better.” Is all Harry says, and Louis realizes that the tears were not for his loss, because this hadn’t been about a bet to him. His compassion was for the young couple. This saddens Louis, and he wants to tell Harry that there was no way they would have lasted because Perrie had never loved him, but then Harry would’ve known Louis had cheated and he couldn't own up to it. Suddenly Louis’ victory felt hollow and he wished he hadn’t thirsted for it the way he had. Harry had never been bragging about love being stronger than death, he honestly had believed it, still does. Louis realizes that he has won nothing, has proved nothing, and now he has to fix this. He lifts the darkness and Harry looks up curiously, as Louis brings Perrie back, healing the cut in her back.  
He looks at Harry and has him stand with him, grasping his hands tightly and can feel as Niall rejuvenates the meadow, healing what the darkness had destroyed, bringing a wave of calm with it. He looks into Harry’s eyes and feels the shame in himself.  
“I planted Perrie to trick you. She dedicated her life to serving me long ago and I-I just wanted us to be together. So I hatched a plan, an evil, diabolical, disgusting plan and I tricked you into doing what I wanted,” Louis watched Harry’s face fill with horror and terrible sadness before continuing, “I have done a terrible thing in the name of love, an with it have spat on you, on love, and on everything it means and everything you stand for. I realize my mistake but before you leave me for good, I want you to know that I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Harry. I love you and I'm more sorry than you could ever possibly know.” Louis had looked down and without looking up, disappeared, leaving Harry in the meadow. 

_

Harry returns to palace later after thinking about what had occurred in the meadow and immediately walks to Louis’ door. He opens it slowly, revealing a Louis who appears to have cried himself to sleep. Harry climbs in the bed next to him, waking him up with little kisses all over his face, ending with one on each of his eyelids before they fluttered open, revealing Louis’ beautiful blue eyes, the ones he let Harry see in their most intimate moments, not the red ones that haunts children’s nightmares. “Wha-“ Louis begins, only to be cut off by Harry’s lips on his own. He startles but reacts, kissing him back and sinking into his arms.  
“Listen, don't talk. I heard you in the meadow and now you’ll hear me,” He pauses making sure Louis is awake enough to understand, “I love you, Lou. I loved you before you loved me and I’ll love you long after. My answer is yes.”  
Louis shakes his head in confusion not understanding what Harry is saying.  
“Yes, I’ll marry you, you idiot.” Louis stops breathing for a second before launching himself at Harry, kissing him like his immortal life depends on it. 

Long after they have married, centuries after in fact, Louis realizes that Harry has always been correct; love is stronger than death, and rightly so.

  



End file.
